To fluoride or not to fluoride, passions are running high in Byron Bay over whether to put fluoride in the town's wather supply.

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EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: Passions are running high in Byron Bay, the alternative lifestyle mecca in northern New South Wales, over whether to put fluoride in the town's water supply.

In recent months neighbouring shires have decided in favour of fluoride to improve dental health, but so far, Byron is holding firm against.

This report from Sashka Koloff.

SASHKA KOLOFF, REPORTER: For decades, Byron Bay on the northern NSW coast has attracted those seeking an alternative lifestyle. The weather's great, the surroundings natural and the people colourful.

But right now, it's riven with conflict over a proposal to put fluoride in the public water supply.

Last night, locals vented their anger at a public meeting.

MAN: Once the state starts putting fluoride into our water supply, does that then mean that democracy has gone out the window and we're now living in a totalitarian state?

(Applause from audience)

SASHKA KOLOFF: 96 per cent of NSW has fluoridated water, but Byron Shire has always held out.

SIMON RICHARDSON, MAYOR, BYRON SHIRE: I guess the black sheep is the norm in Byron Shire and we're proud of that, we're proud of the fact that people are outspoken and have their independent views and their independent attitudes towards their environment around them, their community around them and what goes in and around their bodies.

SASHKA KOLOFF: But councillor Di Woods wants Byron Shire to join the rest of the state.

DI WOODS, BYRON SHIRE COUNCILLOR: Look, I think we've got a very passionate and diverse community here, holding very strong views against what they call mass poisoning; you know, they're anti-vaccines, and I just think it's a head-in-the-sand attitude.

SASHKA KOLOFF: Councillor Woods is driven by a concern about her own family's dental health.

DI WOODS: One of the grandchildren currently has 12 fillings to be attended to, very, very expensive work, and also the dentist has even commented, you know, "Look, there's fillings in his mouth that he's never seen in child of that age," and he's 14.

SASHKA KOLOFF: That's a familiar story for local dentist Dr Brendan White, who is also pushing for fluoridation.

BRENDAN WHITE, AUSTRALIAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION: Well, just this week I'm struggling to treat a four-year-old boy with multiple holes in his teeth, explaining to his parents the consequences of the suffering and the expense if we can't manage to treat his teeth under local anaesthetic.

SASHKA KOLOFF: But opponents of fluoride aren't convinced by those dental arguments and claim fluoride is a threat to public health.

ROSE WANCHAP, BYRON SHIRE COUNCILLOR: There is evidence of harm and we need to take another look at it.

SASHKA KOLOFF: Do you consider fluoride a poison?

ROSE WANCHAP: Absolutely. I didn't two weeks ago, but now it's clear.

BRENDAN WHITE: Every article that I've ever read simply has not stood up to any rigour. It has been taken from - with a bias, cherry-picking data and looking for an outcome. There is no anti-fluoride article or expert that stands up to scientific rigour.

DI WOODS: I've had skull and crossbones sent to me, I've had, "You're poisoning people," you know, "If you do this, I'm going to make you pay for it."

SASHKA KOLOFF: She's not alone. Lateline spoke to one local dentist who says his home and dental practice have been vandalised and that he's been physically threatened over his support of fluoridation.

In an effort to bring some calm to this debate, last night locals packed into a community hall, as those for and against made their cases.

ROBERT GAMMAL, ANTI-FLOURIDE CAMPAIGNER: We have intolerances, we have kidney disease, we have cancer. We have cancer. There is a strong association in fluoridated areas compared to non-fluoridated areas of the rates of cancer.

ALISON JONES, DEAN OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG: Toxicologists recognise it's the does that makes the poison. At the levels of fluoride that are recommended for fluoridated drinking water, its not a poison.

SASHKA KOLOFF: It was full house last night, but it was clear the anti-fluoridation camp had the numbers.

MAN II: I call it a poison because it's a toxic waste product and the toxic waste product is a poison, listed as a poison.

MAN III: My position is that it's not appropriate to mass medicate, that there are more effective methods of dealing with fluoride application for those that consider that they need it.

SIMON RICHARDSON: I think the days perhaps of just one medical body saying, "This is right for you. Believe us - trust us, we're doctors. This is good for you," I think those days are over. I think people now expect far more information, they want far more engagement, they want far more, I guess, customer service than just, "Here's your medicine, take it and be a quiet little boy."